1
as in contemptuous
feeling or showing open dislike for someone or something regarded as undeserving of respect or concern
a disdainful attitude toward people who work as waiters and waitresses
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in proud
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself
disdainful of manual labor of any kind
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
disdainful remarks regarding the cheap clothes that the local people were wearing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disdainful
Most Democrats and independents — 82% and 54%, respectively — said Trump was disdainful to Zelenskyy, while just 19% of Republicans thought the same.
—
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025
Danielle Haim sings, more disdainful than saddened by the dissolution at the heart of the single.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
From above, the figurines almost appear to be grinning, but the face looks disdainful when viewed head-on.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 6 Mar. 2025
Lingering at the edge of the group was Suzie, a petite woman with wild, white-blond hair as well as the spry yet disdainful affect of an inner-city nun.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disdainful
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025
Danielle Haim sings, more disdainful than saddened by the dissolution at the heart of the single.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
From above, the figurines almost appear to be grinning, but the face looks disdainful when viewed head-on.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 6 Mar. 2025
Lingering at the edge of the group was Suzie, a petite woman with wild, white-blond hair as well as the spry yet disdainful affect of an inner-city nun.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disdainful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disdainful
Adjective
-
The house’s inhabitants include a servant who is even more bitter and contemptuous than Miss Bohun; an old man who lives in the attic and only comes down for dinner; and a young widow who moves in a few weeks after Felix.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
18 May 2025
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This is a club that had failed to lift domestic silverware for 70 years and, for more than three-quarters of Neave’s life, had displayed an almost contemptuous attitude towards knockout competitions.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
They were thanked for coming by loyal Canadians, clearly proud of their head of state.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
27 May 2025
-
At Ferrara, which has a long, proud history of making candy in Chicago, the business outlook is still positive, according to Greg Guidotti, chief marketing officer.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Major studios have grown gun-shy about funding anything remotely risky; even a risk well taken can prompt a knee-jerk, scornful reaction from not only the executives but also the press: The film could, even should, have done better.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Meghan Markle's Netflix Backlash Meghan's Netflix show earned scornful reviews not only in the British press, long the villains of Meghan and Prince Harry's narrative, but also among U.S. outlets that previously provided glowing coverage.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Richard was known for being outspoken, if not arrogant, consistently rubbing his Tagi tribe the wrong way and offending some of them with his blatant display of nudity on the island.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
-
Multiple people described him to me as unpopular and arrogant.—
Amanda Chicago Lewis,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump began the meeting by mildly insulting Ramaphosa, who took it in stride.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
21 May 2025
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The idea that women need to be properly taught how to conceive a child through a government program is a particularly insulting proposal, says Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Moms First.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Theoretically, minimizing a grueling 162-game regular season into a single contest to determine who advances is abhorrent.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
Nothing was more abhorrent to the cult, though, than the concept of homosexuality, and that was a problem for Nikki, who realised she was attracted to women at a young age.—
Oliver Brandt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Remember the times when United, with all their haughty ambitions, used to look down on the clunky Thursday-Sunday routine of Europe’s second-tier competition?—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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Widowed twice, Etheldreda is left to care for her own two children, her haughty stepdaughter, and a peregrine falcon.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
The malicious URLs outputted in the response are in clickable form, meaning all a user has to do is click one to be taken to a malicious site.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
-
Enhances visibility and control of network traffic and user activities and detects and blocks malicious activities.—
Mickey Singh,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disdainful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disdainful. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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